Machine for stoning cherries, &amp;c.



PATBNTED DEC. 19, 1905.

H. ORESTB.

MACHINE FOR STONING CHERRIES, 8m.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.31, 1903.

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APPLICATION FILED DBG.31,1 903.

2 SHBBTS-SHEET 2.

77j71e$6 fi amem am M14 M I Uxeaie UNITED STATES PATENT onrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed December 31,1903. Serial no. 187,382.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRI CREsTE, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Apt, in the Department of Vancluse, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stoning Cherries and Similar Fruit, of which the following is a specification.

A machine for stoning cherries and the like according to this invention is constructed as shown in the accompanying drawings, where- 111 Figure 1 is a transverse section of the operative parts of the machine, part only of the framework being shown. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of said operative parts, the frame merely indicated by detached guide elements. Figs. 8, 3, 4, and 5 are details.

In said figures the numeral 1 indicates a shaft operated either by power through pulley 29 or by hand by means of crank 30, as indicated in Fig. 1. The shaft 1 is cranked at a point along its length, and from this crank a connecting-bar 3 leads to a coupling at the upper end of a plunger-frame consisting of rod 6, cross-head 7, and one or more bars 4, the latter being parallel with but of shorter length than rod 6 and guided with it in frame-pieces 5 in a direction inwardly inclined with respect to the main body of mechanism. These stoning bars are fitted at their lower ends with heads carrying stoningprongs 8, herein shown as seven in number to each head, (see Fig. 5,) the three central ones being shorter than the four outside ones. Uponthe downstroke these pron gs and their heads pass through closely-fitting sleeves 9, which act on the upstroke as strippers to separate the speared and stoned cherries from the prongs.

The reciprocating rod 6 carries a pawl 10, engaging on the upstroke with a ratchetwheel 11 to actuate it. Keyed on the same shaft is gearwheel 12, which latter engages a gear 13, on the spindle of which are fixed cupped feed-wheels, one for each inclined guide-channel 28, down which the cherries are led to the storing-sockets 15, to which said feed-wheels deliver, and so dimensioned that each cup is capable of holding but one cherry. The engagement of pawl 10 in the present illustrative example is of such duration and the train of wheels 11 12 13 are so timed that when shaft 1 makes a single rotation wheel 13 will make one-fourth of a rothe fork,

tation. Therefore the feed-wheels have each four cups and will deliver one cherry apiece to their respective stoning-pockets for each upstroke of the rod 6, so that upon the downstroke there will be a cherry in each such pocket. These pockets have centrally through their bottoms a round opening permitting the stones of the cherries and the forks 18 to pass, but not admitting the cherry itself, the ork or forks completing their downstroke before their heads come in contact with the cherry. This central opening is closed by a bed of india-rubber or equivalent material, such bed having one central hole and four outer holes, the central and outer holes being connected by slits. The four outside holes are embraced in a circle corresponding to the dimensions of the opening through the pocket and register with the four outside prongs of while the central hole and slits provide for the passage of the stone and the three inside prongs of said fork. A grooved piece of metal 16 holds the bed 16 in place beneath the pocket. When the forks rise after stoning the cherries, they carry the cherries themselves impaled upon their prongs until they reach stripper-sleeves 9, when the cherries are pushed o and fall into chute 17, down which they roll to a receiver. The stones, on the other hand, are discharged by chute 191 into any suitable receptacle.

Upon the shaft 1 is chain-wheel 2, which transmits power to a chain-wheel 19 upon a counter-shaft by means of a suitable belt,

and a sprocket-pinion 20 upon this counter-,

shaft in turn transmits to sprocket-wheel 21 on the shaft of elevated feed-wheels 22 at a ratio of four revolutions of said feedawheels to one revolution of shaft 1 'or wheel 2. Consequently these feed-wheels have each four cups, like those below. These elevated wheels deliver cherries into an inclined chute leading to channels 28 and formed by breast plate 23 and an endless apron driven by pulleys 24, the upper one of which is on the aforementioned counter-shaft and is the driver. The inner ply of this apron opposite the breastplate travels downwardly and its object is to carry the cherries along said plate with just sufficient pressure to prevent their slipping or falling and being injured. To this end the breastplate is supported from suitable fra'me-pieces by screw-rods and nuts 27, so that its distance from the apron may be adjusted.

Behind theelevated feed-wheels is an inclined shaking-passage 25, operated by wheel 21 and operating to spread the cherries received through passage 26 from hopper 26 and insure their uncrowded delivery one by one to the feed-wheels 22.

In operation the cherries stored in hopper 26 pass out by opening 26 and along shaking-passage 25, and every time a cup of feedwheels 22 passes the end of said passage it picks up one cherry and delivers it upon breastplate 23, along which it is moved by apron 24 until it reaches guide-channel 28. Down this it is rolled by gravity until caught by a cup of feed-wheel 14 and passed over upon the rubber bed of the stoning-pocket. Now fork 8 will descend and its prongs pierce the front of the cherry, the longer outer prongs'inclosing the stone and holding it in position, while the closer-set and shorter inner prongs impinge upon the stone and force it before them through the fruit and through the rubber bed. This having taken place, the fork rises, carrying with it the impaled fruit until it reaches stripper 9, and the fruit is pushed off to fall into chute 17, which the strippers vertically overhang. The upward movement of rod 6 in this action has engaged pawl 10 with ratchet-wheel 11 and actuated the latter sufficiently to make oneeighth of a rotation, and wheels 12 and 13 being proportioned as one to two the feeder 14 has made one-fourth of a revolution and delivered another cherry into the stoningpocket ready for the succeeding descent of the fork.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for stoning cherries and similar fruit, the combination of a hopper for the reception of the fruit, a shaking-chute to which said hopper delivers, a rotary cupped feed-wheel taking the fruit one by one from the end of said chute, an inclined adjustable breastplate to which said wheel delivers, a feed-apron cooperating with said breastplate to carry the fruit downwardly therealong, a guide-channel receiving the fruit at the foot of said breastplate, a cupped feed-wheel at the end of said channel adapted to take the fruit one at a time therefrom, a pocket having centrally-perforated bottom, to which the latter wheel delivers the fruit, a radially-slitted elastically yielding bed normally closing the bottom of the pocket, and a plunger-frame carrying grouped prongs opposite said pocket and means for reciprocating said frame.

2. In a machine for stoning cherries and similar fruit, the combination of a shakingchute to which said fruit is delivered, a rotary cupped feed-wheel taking the fruit one by one from the discharge end of said chute, an inclined adjustable breastplate to which said wheel delivers, and a flexible traveling feed-apron cooperating with said breastplate to carry the fruit downwardly thereon.

3. In a machine for stoning cherries and similar fruit, the combination of a chute to which said fruit is delivered, receiving means for taking the fruit one by one from the discharge end of said chute, an adjustable breastplate to which said receiving means delivers, and a traveling feed-apron cooperating with said breastplate whereby the fruit is engaged on opposite sides during transmission thereof.

4. A machine for stoning cherries and similar fruit provided with a chute to which the fruit is delivered, a cup feeding-wheel taking the fruit one by one from said chute, an adjustable breastplate to which said wheel delivers, and a traveling apron provided with a smooth contacting surface for frictionally en-' gaging the fruit with said breastplate when discharged from said wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of December, 1903.

HENRI CRESTE.

Witnesses FREDERIO MATRAY, EDMOND LEOOUTURIER. 

